Paddy Pimblett vs Ilia: Topuria A Perfect fight to make and why
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After his impressive win over Benoît Saint Denis, Paddy Pimblett finds himself in an very awkward position. It is unclear what's next for the new No. 5 in the UFC lightweight rankings. That's why we'll be looking at some options for Paddy, and the most realistic scenario
UFC 329 brought us one of the best finishes of the year. Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett proved once again that when he is at his best, he can be one of the most lethal fighters in the lightweight division. After a beautiful submission win over BSD, the fans were asking, what's next for Pimblett? The logical answer to that would be Ilia, but is it that simple?
History behind Paddy and Ilia, and reason why this is the fight to make
First and foremost, both of them are deeply connected when it comes to their careers. With just a two-year gap between them and just a one-year difference in the amount of time they've spent in the UFC, the two were considered exciting young prospects. However, Topuria made his mark much faster than Paddy. He became a double champion in the feather and lightweight divisions; meanwhile, Paddy was known for fighting veterans and making his name in that fashion.
Beef between them started in early 2021 on social media, and that conflict is relevant to this day. It seemed that Dana was waiting for the perfect moment to set up this heated fight. But general opinion was clear: Paddy had no chance against Ilia. El Matador knocked out Holloway, Volkanovski, and Charles. On the other hand Pimblett couldn't finish aging Tony Ferguson and Jared Gordon. The fight never came to be, and Pimblett was set to fight yet another veteran, Justin Gaethje. After five rounds of brutal beating, Justin was victorious, and Pimblett was totally out of the picture when it came to the title fight.
But UFC Freedom 250 changed the script. Gaethje dominated Topuria and won via TKO after fourth-round, leaving Ilia heavily damaged. Now, after Paddy's win over BSD, the opportunity to make Ilia vs Pimblett has never been better. Both fighters lost to the current lightweight champion, there is a heated rivalry between them, Topuria looked human against Justin, and Paddy never looked better in his career.
The perfect moment Dana White was waiting for is finally here. One fighter is coming off his best win, the other a fallen champion who's looking to bounce back. The only thing that could delay this fight is Topuria's recovery.
Other options for Pimblett, if Topuria is not available
Prior to the BSD fight, Paddy was a guest on the Spinnin Backfist MMA Show. "That man's face is mashed up. He's not coming back until the end of the year, and I would like to fight again before the end of the year," Paddy stated on Ilia fight. So, if not Topuria, then who?
The name that everyone keeps mentioning, Pimblett included, is Charles Oliviera.
"I was talking about it 10 minutes ago, I'd submit, Charles. I've got nothing but respect for Charles, you know what I mean? He's an absolute legend in the sport, but he's on his way out. "I think if he tried to grapple with me, I'd submit him," Paddy said in the interview after UFC 329.
The current BMF champion doesn't have a fight scheduled, but is that really what Paddy needs? Oliviera recently defeated Max Holloway after a brutal KO at the hands of Ilia Topuria. Both Charles and Pimblett are jiu-jitsu specialists, and the matchup would be interesting for sure.
But the question is, how much will that fight benefit the Englishman since he is so close to the title fight? In the ideal world, Arman vs. Gaethje is the fight to make, followed up by Pimblett vs. Topuria for the next challenger. In reality Ilia isn't expected to return any time soon, and Paddy needs to stay "warm." Other options besides Charles could be Gamrot or Holloway.
